2 Chronik 30:18

18 Auch war des Volks viel von Ephraim, Manasse, Isaschar und Sebulon, die nicht rein waren, sondern aßen das Osterlamm, aber nicht, wie geschrieben steht. Denn Hiskia bat für sie und sprach: Der HERR, der gütig ist, wolle gnädig sein{~}

2 Chronik 30:18 Meaning and Commentary

2 Chronicles 30:18

For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim and
Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun
All which were of the ten tribes, where idolatry had prevailed for a long time:

had not cleansed themselves;
from impurity contracted by idolatry and other things:

yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written;
because they ate it in their uncleanness, which was not according to the law, that required that such should be clean that ate of any holy things, see ( John 18:28 ) but since these people came a great way off, and there was no deferring it to another month, the king chose rather they should be admitted to eat of it, though in their uncleanness:

but Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, the good Lord pardon everyone;
God, who is gracious and merciful, and of his goodness, grace, and mercy, forgive such who, though ceremonially unclean, ate of the passover, and especially since they were sincere and cordial in their services; and therefore he hoped that this breach of the ceremonial law would not be laid to their charge. Goodness is such a well known attribute of God, that the very Heathens ascribe it to their deities; hence we read of a temple of the "good god", the gods being the givers of good things to men; Jupiter, or Jove, the supreme god, is supposed to be meant ^F19.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F19 Pausan. Arcadica, sive, l. 8. p. 513. Vid. Ciceronem de Nat. Deor. l. 3. prope finem.

2 Chronik 30:18 In-Context

16 und standen in ihrer Ordnung, wie sich's gebührt, nach dem Gesetz Mose's, des Mannes Gottes. Und die Priester sprengten das Blut von der Hand der Leviten.

17 Denn ihrer waren viele in der Gemeinde, die sich nicht geheiligt hatten; darum schlachteten die Leviten das Passah für alle, die nicht rein waren, daß sie dem HERRN geheiligt würden. {~}

18 Auch war des Volks viel von Ephraim, Manasse, Isaschar und Sebulon, die nicht rein waren, sondern aßen das Osterlamm, aber nicht, wie geschrieben steht. Denn Hiskia bat für sie und sprach: Der HERR, der gütig ist, wolle gnädig sein{~}

19 allen, die ihr Herz schicken, Gott zu suchen, den HERRN, den Gott ihrer Väter, wiewohl nicht in heiliger Reinigkeit.

20 Und der HERR erhörte Hiskia und heilte das Volk.